pH-Responsive and CO2-responsive vesicles can be formed by N-decylimidazole

Responsive vesicles have attracted great attention because they can undergo reversible changes in response to external stimuli and possess prospective applications in different environments. A pH-responsive and CO2-responsive vesicle formed by N-decylimidazole was prepared. By dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it is shown that spherical vesicles are formed spontaneously in N-decylimidazole aqueous solution at pH 5.8 approximate to 6.2. By HCl/NaOH adjustment, the vesicle radius increases from 73.8 to 100.8nm as the solution pH increases from 5.8 to 6.2. By CO2/Ar adjustment, the vesicles also can be formed in N-decylimidazole aqueous solution at suitable pH. The CO2-responsive vesicle can be repeatedly formed without change of vesicle size. Practical applications: The vesicles can be spontaneously formed in N-decylimidazole aqueous solution at pH 5.8 approximate to 6.2 either by HCl/NaOH adjustment or CO2/Ar stimuli. Therefore, they can be used as pH-responsive or CO2-responsive vesicles for potential applications in drug-delivery, size-selective release, biochemical reactions, and so on. In order to fabricate pH-responsive and CO2-responsive vesicles, the authors studied vesicle formation using N-decylimidazole, by HCl/NaOH or CO2/Ar adjustment. These vesicles have potential applications in drug delivery and other biochemical applications.